Apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds.



Patented Dec. I6, l902 2 sheets-'sheet I.

t own e36 @fue C. 778313 iler.

Inventor:

APPAHATUS'FUR SUPPLYING MULTEN METAL T0 MIJLDS UNITE-D STATES( l ATENT anion.

CYRUS O. WEBSTER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING MOLTEN `METAL TO MOLDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,320, dated December r6; 1902.

Application filed October 27, 1900. Serial No, 34,554. (No modell To all whom t Mag/concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUs 0..-WEnsTnn, a` citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and Statel of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Sup-l plying Molten Metal to Molds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for supplying molten metal Vto molds, the objectbeing to provide means for continuously` projecting molten metal into revoluble molds.

The machine herein described may be used with that class'of strip-metal-casting machines described in` my Patent No. 651,430, dated June12, 1900,`and application for patent, Serial No. 20,090, led J une 12, 1900, both for strip-metal-casting machines.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part Vofthis specification, FigureI 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds, showing the framework partly broken away and the crucible in position for projecting molten metal into the revoluble mold, which is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is aplan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the crucible with the ladle removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of the crucible, showing the ladle iremoved and the framework partly broken away. Fig.` 5 is a longitudinal section of an alternate construction of crucible. f

Throughout this specification by the word crucible I- mean the vessel by which the molten metal is projected into the mold and by the word ,ladle the vessel by which the molten metal is fed into the crucible.

In the drawings let A represent'the framework, which is provided with the trackway 2, upon which the carriage Bis movably mounted. This carriage is moved on the trackway by hand and may be fastened by the setbolts 3which pass through the clips 4 and impinge against the trackway. The clips are attached to the carriage by bolts 5. The crucible O is mounted upon the carriage and provided with the receptacle 6 for the molten lead or other metal. Thisreceptacle has the passage-way 9 conn'ecting with the ingateblock D. `(Shown in dotted lines.) It also `has the cap 7, which is attached by bolts 8.

The crucible is air-tight. The passage-way 9 is opened and closed by the valve 10, which `is seated at 11 in the bottom of the receptacle n 6. The valve is operated by the rod 12, which passes through the guide 13 and the cap of the crucible. By swinging the lever-handle 1 14 the valve may be opened or shut. The `spring 15, carried by the cap, is adapted to hold the handle closed against its shoulder 16,and upon tripping this spring the handle nies back and releases the valve. The valve is raised by the expansion-spring 17, located between the cap and the button 1B of the valve-rod. The molten metal contained in the crucibleis forced through the passageway 9 by compressed air, which is conducted into the crucible by pipe 19 from a constant source of air-supply, such as aforos-pump and reservoir-tank. (Not shown.) The airpipe is controlled by the valve 20. The molten metal in the crucible is kept at an even temperature by means of the burner 2l, which is carried by the hanger 22 below the crucible and connected by pipe 23 with a source of fuel-supply. (Not shown.) The hanger is attached to the clips 4 by screws 24. The re'- ceptacle is provided with the shield 25, which is fastened to the carriage by means of screws 26 for confining the flame of the burner. By means of the ladle D, carried by the carriage, molten metal is fed into the Vcrucible during the operation of casting. This ladle is connected to the crucible by the feed-pipe 27, which is provided with the valve 28. The ladle is connected with the feed-pipe 19, leading to the source of air-supply, by pipe 29, which is provided with the valve 30. The ladle is air-tight. By removing the plug 31 molten or solidified metal may be placed in the ladle. The metal so placed is heated to the necessary temperature by means of the burner 32, (shown in Fig. 1,) which is connected to the pipe 23. By replacing the plug and opening the valves 28 and 3`0"the metal contained in the ladle passes through pipe 27 into the crucible. When the ladle is empty,

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metal may be projected through its passageway in a continuous stream. The burner 33, which is connected to the pipe 23, is positioned so as to heat the front of the crucible and prevent clogging of the passage-way 9 by the metal cooling as it passes from the receptacle.

In operating myimproved machine heat is applied to the Crucible and ladle by burners 21, 32, and 33, and the molten or solidified metal or other material to be cast is placed in the ladle D. The plug 3l is then inserted in the ladle and the valves 20, 28, and 30 opened. The metal Iiows by gravitation from the ladle into the crucible. The valves 28 and 30 are then closed, and the ladle is in readiness for another charge of metal. The crucible, ingate, and mold are brought into operative position by sliding the carriage upon its trackway. The set-bolts are then tightened, so as to lock the carriage in position.

In the alternate construction shown in Fig. 5 the crncible is double in form, each chamber E and F of which is respectively connected by pipes 34 and 35 with the pipe 36, leading from the source of air-pressure. The pipes 34 and 35 are respectively provided with valves 37 and 38. The crucible is air-tight and provided with the passage-way 39, connecting with each of its chambers E and F. At each of the entries 40 and 41 of this passage-way to the chambers are the valves 42 and 43, which are of ordinary construction. Heat is applied to the crucible by the burner 44 and is confined thereto by the shield 45. The crucible is mounted upon the carriage 46, which is of similar construction and adapted to perform similar functions, as described in the preferred construction. In operation solid or molten metal is passed into the chambers through the openings 47. The plugs 48 and '49 are then screwed into place. The valves 37 and 38 are opened and the molten metal injected by air-pressure through the passage-Way 39 by opening first one and then the other of the valves 42 and 43. As soon as one chamber is nearly empty its valves are closed and the valves of the other opened,

so that the operation of casting is continuous. The empty reservoir may then be refilled with metal for use before the supply of molten metal from the other has been exhausted.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. Apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds, consisting of a plurality of receptacles movable forward and backward on a stationary frame, a passage-way connecting the receptacles, an egress passage-Way in one of the receptacles, valve mechanism in the egress andconnecting passageways, an airreservoir with which said receptacles are connected by passage-ways; whereby the metal gravitates from one receptacle into the other and is uninterruptedly projected through the egress passage-way.A

2. Apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds, consisting of a plurality of receptacles having a passage-wayconnecting the same, an egress passage-way in one of the receptacles, said receptacles adapted to move forward and backward so as to connect said egress passage-way with the mold, valve mechanism in the egress and connecting passage-ways, and an air-reservoir with which said receptacles connect, whereby the molten metal passes from one receptacle into another and is forced through the egress passage-way.

3. Apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds, consisting of a plurality of receptacles movable forward and backward on a stationary frame, means for heating the receptacles, a passage-way connecting the receptacles, valve mechanism in said passageway, a removable plug in the top of one of said receptacles, a passage-way in the other for the egress of the molten metal, a valve in said egress passage-way and mechanism connecting the receptacles with a source of air-pressure so as to eject the molten metal in a continuous stream through the egress passage-way.

4. Apparatus of the class described, consisting of the main receptacle C, an auxiliary receptacle D, guide-bars for said receptacles to slide upon, a passageway 27, connecting said receptacles, a valve in said passage-way, Valve mechanism connecting the main and auxiliary receptacles with an air-pressure reservoir, an egress-opening from the main receptacle, and means for heating the receptacles.

5. Apparatus of the class described, consisting of a plurality of receptacles movable forward and backward on a stationary frame,a passage-way between the receptacles, each receptacle being connected with asource of air-pressure by a system of valve-controlled passage-ways.

6. Apparatus of the class described, consisting of a plurality of receptacles each connected with a source of air-pressure by a system of valve-controlled passage-ways, a connection between the receptacles for the molten metal, means for heating said receptacles, a trackway for carrying the receptacles, and means for locking the receptacles upon said trackway.

7. Apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds, consisting of a plurality of receptacles movable forward and backward on a stationary frame, an egress-opening in one of the receptacles; and a connection between the receptacles, said receptacles being connected with a source of air-pressure and said egress-opening, by a system of valve-controlled passage-ways, whereby the molten metal is adapted to be projected from the receptacles in acontinuous stream.

8. Apparatus for supplying molten metal to molds, consisting of a main receptacle, in

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combination with an auxiliary receptacle, l In testimony whereof I have signed my both connected; withall source of arpressure name to this specification in the presence of bya system of valve-controlled passage-ways, two subscribing Witnesses.

a connection between the receptacles for the CYRUS C. WEBSTER.

5 molten metal, means for heating said recep- Witnesses:

tacles aind track-bars on which the recep- H. W. BOCKHUS,

i, tacles are movable forward and backward. I-I. L. HASEY. 

